Clearly, there's no shortage of fantastic cities to visit across the US. Places like New York and Miami spring to mind, not to forget about Las Vegas. While all of these places can create wonderful travel experiences, there's one city that always stands out as a little unique: Los Angeles.
LA is one of the biggest cities in the country, and home to lots of tourists every year. Most people love their experience in this city, but why is it so different from anywhere else? If you could only visit one US city before you die, many will say LA, and here's why:
A truly mesmerizing climate
The climate in LA is bizarre, to say the least. It is often known as only having one season: summer. It's sunny there almost the whole year, with temperatures rarely getting cold enough to warrant wrapping up warm. And yet, they have mountains to the north with snow on them. Yep, you can genuinely go skiing in LA, then spend the rest of your day down on a beach. There aren't many cities in the world - let alone the US - that boast this sort of climate.
The celebrity factor
What do you first think of when Los Angeles pops into your head? That's right, the Hollywood sign and all the celebrities that live there. You will struggle to find another city in the US that boasts such a dense population of celebrities all in one area. What's more, the weird thing is that LA thrives off this. People can look into renting a charter to tour celebrity homes in a bus, going around the city and seeing where the rich and famous live. You really don't get an experience like this anywhere else in the country!
Plus, the constant celebrity presence makes LA such a strange and unique place to be. You can be walking down the street and see swarms of paparazzi flocking to one location. In the next moment, your favorite film star has just got into their fancy car and is driving past you. Also, you can slip in the fact that so many things are filmed here, so you can see loads of cool sets if you're into that sort of thing.
So much cultural diversity
Los Angeles is home to so many different cultures, which affects the offerings it has for tourists. If you visit this city, you'll be treated to so many different and vibrant experiences. This is best reflected in the nightlife and the food. LA is a food lover's dream, bringing you cuisines from around the world. It genuinely feels like someone has manufactured this city and just picked up the best food they can find and dumped it all in one place. Ironically, you can experience so many different cultures and learn loads of new things from this American city!
You see, there aren't many places that rival LA in terms of uniqueness. Most other cities are similar - museums, monuments, and a staple cuisine. LA does things differently, which is why it's so popular for travelers.
*contributed post*
If nothing else, 2020 taught us about the importance of resilience. It showed us that events outside of our control could massively disrupt our lives and even put them at risk.
For many of us, this was a wake-up call. We suddenly discovered that things weren’t as certain as we thought they were. Economies could be shut down. Infectious diseases could kill people that we know. Politics could change. It tested our resilience like nothing else before it.
Resilience and wellness are actually quite closely linked to each other. It’s difficult to have one without the other. Feeling stressed and panicked all the time directly impacts wellness by increasing the levels of stress hormones in the body. And wellness affects your capacity to be resilient. If you feel sick or tired all the time, it makes it harder to face the challenges of life.
In this post, we take a look at some of the resilience strategies you can use for maximum wellness - both mental and physical. Many of these techniques are things that you can do right now to improve your situation and prepare yourself for when the world finally reopens.
Start Believing In Your Abilities
It can be challenging to believe in your abilities in a world like ours. There are a lot of extraordinarily talented people already out there. And everyone has a different perspective on what constitutes “talent,” meaning that they will evaluate you in different ways. Some people will love what you do, while others won’t. You can’t please them all.
Understanding this basic reality of life can help improve your resilience greatly. Your target should never be to impress everyone. Instead, it should be to add as much value as you can in your own unique way. Concentrate on improving the things that you can already do well. Don’t slave away trying to fix things that go against the grain.
Be Open To Change
Being open to change is another wellness strategy that can have a massive impact on your resilience levels.
Unfortunately, change is one of life’s great inevitabilities. Things never stay the same forever. People grow up and grow old. The economy shifts in new directions. Philosophies adjust.
Change, therefore, is something that we must learn to accept. If we don’t, we will forever have to battle circumstances outside of our control.
When you think about it deeply, change is actually a good thing, even when it seems bad. If you knew exactly how your life was going to pan out, it wouldn’t be as interesting or “real” to you. Safety, in many ways, is the enemy of authentic experiences. If you had total control, life wouldn’t have the same emotional content. You’d be missing out.
Stay Positive
If you’re feeling a little down after 2020, nobody will blame you. It was a rough year - and the pandemic is still rumbling on.
However, it is important to put all the events in your life into context. They seem like they matter a great deal right now, but will they still cause the same consternation in five years? Probably not.
Staying positive and being optimistic doesn’t mean ignoring problems in your life. Instead, it means understanding that no setback is ever permanent and that you can continue moving forwards.
Being optimistic also involves enjoying your life right now instead of continually chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It’s about being kind to yourself and taking pleasure in the simple things in life whenever you can.
Learn More About Your Health
Supporting your wellness also means learning as much as you possibly can about your health. Without a healthy body, it’s hard to have a healthy mind. The two interact with each other.
If you can, try to learn more about seasonal allergies & symptoms. Finding out what’s causing your flare-ups can have a massive impact on your quality of life.
Also, start tracking your key biomarkers using blood tests and wearable health monitors. These can tell you whether your parameters are going in the right direction or not, and what you can do to improve them.
Remember, all of us are different when it comes to health. Our genetics and environment shape how we age and change as we get older. Once you understand more about your body, you’re in a much better position to engage in the kinds of behaviors that improve your wellbeing.
Be Your Own Coach
We usually think of coaching as something another person does to us. But a lot of people learn to be their own coaches, talking themselves through stressful situations.
Self-talk can be helpful or harmful. For a lot of us, it is the latter. We ruminate about people gossiping about us at work or things our parents said on the weekend.
The trick here is to change the conversation you have with yourself to make it more positive. In many cases, you can overcome challenges and get on the path to success by talking to yourself differently.
For instance, if somebody criticizes your work, you could have a conversation with yourself about how you failed as a person. Or you could just work on improving and resolving the problem. Nothing is stopping you from gaining new skills or learning new things that could help you. You’ve done it before - and you can do it again.
Take A Hike In The Forest
While how much you exercise is important, researchers are also discovering that where you do it matters a great deal too. It turns out that location makes a difference.
Going jogging along city streets is okay, but you expose yourself to a lot of pollution and you might not run through any pleasant or attractive areas.
Researchers have found that running in the woods reduces cortisol levels and actually makes people feel better about their lives. “Forest bathing” is trendy right now because it seems to activate your body’s natural relaxation pathways. It may even help lower blood pressure and deal with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Create A Goal
When a crisis hits, it can be tempting to throw your hands up in the air and assume that there’s nothing you can do to improve the situation. Resilient people, however, use these events as opportunities to create goals. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they try to view the situation objectively and then create objectives that will help them escape it.
So what does this look like on a practical level?
If you find yourself in an overwhelming situation, try brainstorming all the things that you can do right now to improve it. By thinking creatively, you’ll often find that you can lift yourself out of a bad situation and move your life forwards.
Keep Working On Your Skills, No Matter What
With the economy floundering, it can be tempting to put skill building on the backburner. You don’t have as many opportunities as you did before the crisis, so what’s the point?
The truth is that building skills is more important during a crisis than at any other time. That’s because you need to demonstrate the value you can offer. With more people unemployed, the competition for available work is hotting up. More candidates are applying for the same positions compared to when the economy was better.
If you have more time on your hands, try not to waste it. Instead, focus on ways you can improve the skills that you have at the moment so that you’re in a better position to help others when the time comes. Make sure that you continue your education, even if you’re on furlough or not currently working.
Cultivate Your Curiosity
Cultivating your curiosity is another great way to improve your mental health and resilience. The reason it is so effective is that it forces you to focus on the outside world. Being curious is all about getting to know other people and things “out there” better, instead of focusing on yourself.
Cultivating your curiosity could take a variety of forms. You could, for instance, start reading more books or take an online course. Or you might try joining different groups and societies interested in diverse topics. Whatever is it, you want to make sure that you take part in something new and different from your regular activities. Opening your mind to fresh ideas helps to keep life interesting.
In summary, resilience is a skill that you can build over time, even if your basic character predisposes you to panic and anxiety. The world can be a scary place, but there are multiple techniques that you can use to cope with it better. You don’t have to feel like life is carrying you along on a wave.
Resilient people tend to have confidence in their abilities. They also use past successes as evidence of their capacity to meet future challenges. Once resilience reaches a certain point, life ceases to feel like such a struggle and can even become enjoyable.
Prioritizing sleep isn’t a secret. You know you should put a good night’s rest at the top of your to-do list, but it’s hard with a global pandemic raging in the background. Throw in the boredom and the uncertainty of leaving the house legally, and it’s easy to see why you might suffer from restlessness.
Sleep is probably the last thing you’re getting enough of right now, especially compared to Doomsday news from 24-hour channels hell-bent on making everything Covid-19-related. However, this is problematic because rest is more important now than it has ever been since it’s imperative for your health.
Whether it’s physical or mental wellbeing, sleep can help you top up your health levels to avoid the nasty stuff that comes with a sedentary lifestyle. And, these aren’t the only reasons to emphasize the importance of sleep. Although the exact amount varies - it’s anywhere between seven to nine hours - the knock-on effects of sleep deprivation are very powerful.
The best way to negate them is to understand the power of rest. By learning more about the process, you will know why getting an early night is beneficial. With that in mind, here are four reasons to prioritize sleep in 2021.
Stronger Mental Health
Lots of people worldwide have been struggling with mental health issues way before the pandemic started. Sadly, this is due to a lack of awareness on the subject, although more adults are beginning to understand. Of course, the emergence of Covid-19 only made matters worse, with 40% of Americans experiencing a reduction in their mental health.
The anxiety regarding your health and freedoms is only made worse by the fact that you can’t leave the house or do the things that make you happy. As a result, this translates into your bedtime routine, with the tension keeping you awake and leading to sleep deprivation.
Fortunately, dealing with the pressures of life is an excellent way to turn the tables and improve your mental health as a whole. This is because plenty of studies have made a concrete link between high-quality sleep and its effect on depression and other ailments.
Although the exact way sleep helps the brain is still unknown, the research is clear - rest and mental health are connected. Therefore, getting the recommended amount every night is a step in the right direction, particularly during a period when there is a lot to worry about at night.
Improved Immune System
Another consideration of a pandemic is your body’s ability to fight off illnesses and diseases. Getting sick is a part of life because you can’t avoid bacteria and viruses forever. Still, the most common ones come with vaccinations and those that don’t have treatments that increase the chances of recovery.
At the moment, there is a lot of unpredictability with Covid-19 since it can have harmful side-effects, and it passes from person to person very easily. To eliminate the side-effects, you need your white blood cells to rush into action when an invader enters your bloodstream. Unfortunately, they are less effective if you are tired.
This is down to the proteins your body uses to deal with infections and inflammation. Essentially, there are fewer of them when you don’t get enough rest, probably because the system hasn’t had enough time to repair itself. Once your defenses are lowered, a virus can cause havoc as it is stronger than your immune system.
Therefore, it’s imperative to boost the amount of sleep, and the quality of it, too. If you constantly wake-up and fidget, you won’t reap the rewards in the morning.
Fewer Aches & Pains
With everything that’s going on in the world, you could do without the obligatory aches and pains that plague your body when you get out of bed. Part of the problem is due to age, something you can’t stop. But, another issue is the way you sleep and the strain it puts on your body.
If your weight distribution is unequal, it will cause stress on the lower back, which is why your back creaks in the morning. Focusing on how you sleep is the key as it will encourage you to adopt the correct positions based on your ailments. For instance, lying on your side with a pillow between your knees is healthy if lying on your back isn’t an option.
Of course, sleep alone won’t fix the problem, especially if you experience discomfort in your back. The back is a complicated body part, so a chiropractor is always a smart option since they are specialists. By combining the two, the aches you put up with could be things of the past.
Considering you have a lot to think about in 2021, it’s one less problem to worry about. It’s amazing how reducing your triggers results in stronger mental and physical wellbeing.
Greater Focus
Everyone has been there. You didn’t get a good night’s rest, and you turn up at the office with bags under your eyes, desperate to reach 5 pm unscathed. Muddling through the day unnoticed is all you can hope for when your productivity levels plummet.
Weirdly, being in a formal environment is better for your concentration and output levels than being at home as the buzz of other people can guide you to the end of the day. Also, it’s easier to hide in a room full of your colleagues.
You can’t lurk in the background on a video call because it’s creepy! Plus, working from home is more casual, which means you are more likely to fall into the trap of being unproductive. Do it too many times and your manager will want to know why you’re not working as hard.
As remote working policies continue to help businesses cut costs and operate during tough times, you will find yourself out of the office for a significant chunk of 2021. So, without prioritizing your sleep, you might find that your industriousness drops and causes you some career problems.
Bottom Line
Sleep is a necessity, regardless of the year. However, with everything that is going on in 2021, it’s more important to prioritize rest than ever before.
Today.
https://pixabay.com/photos/love-engaged-romantic-romance-2086907/
Whether you have a diamond engagement ring that you love to show off, or buy and sell diamonds as a trader, or even simply buy diamonds as a long-term investment, the reason for buying your diamonds will impact your decision on how – and even whether – to insure them. Diamond insurance tends to be expensive, because diamonds are small and easy to lose track of once dropped and they are very tempting to the feloniously minded.
To Insure or Not to Insure?
If you are a long-term investor with a secure safe or bank deposit box, you might find insurance to be an unnecessary cost, eating up the modest gains that you can expect for your investment. Because of the high cost of diamond insurance, many diamond traders opt to use other methods than insurance to protect their livelihoods: practicing the utmost secrecy when travelling with diamonds, using hideaway deodorant and shaving foam cans, hollow books and tailoring suits with snug armpit pockets and other ingenious workarounds that keep their precious cargo safe between destinations.
When you Should Insure Your Diamonds
If your diamond engagement ring is very valuable and a literal once-in-a-lifetime purchase that you would not be able to replicate should it be stolen, lost or damaged, then you probably should hunt around and find an affordable insurance policy that will pay out without too much red tape or quibbling.
Other Alternatives to Insuring Your Diamonds
If your diamond engagement ring is a modest one, and the cost price was something that you would be able to save in a few years or so, then you might be better off doing that: putting aside a certain sum and investing it well. In the event that you need to repair or replace your engagement ring, you will have this nest-egg to fall back on – and if you manage to save more than you need, you could invest in some more diamonds! (Search for diamonds here to get a great deal on good quality stones.)
If your diamonds are an investment and not mounted in any jewelry items, then you can make the most of your return by keeping the diamonds in a secure lockbox, keeping quiet about its location and the value of your investment – and not insuring them. In theory, if no one knows that they are there, no one will come looking for them, and they should be safe, allowing you to maximize your profit when you do ultimately sell off the diamonds – which will usually be after several decades as diamonds do increase in value over time, but this happens slowly, meaning that there is unlikely to be a rapid turnaround in the diamond industry. The latter is itself a point against insuring the stones as the cost of the premiums will wipe out any gains in the investment, especially when extrapolated out over the years.
The decision to insure will always rest with the owner of the stones, but as a rule of thumb, any diamonds that are visible, often in the public domain or at risk of danger or accidental loss should be insured for your peace of mind if for no other reason!
Going away, whether it is for business or for pleasure, is always something to look forward to. It is nice to go to new places and experience what the world has to offer. Nothing beats the excitement in the
pit of the stomach as the trip gets closer.
The part everybody dreads…
However, one element of going travelling which is not much fun and certainly does not provide any excitement is packing a suitcase or a travel bag. This is something which can be highly frustrating and extremely stressful. Trying to remember everything that one is supposed to take with them is not an easy challenge.
More often than not people arrive at their hotel room to find that they have actually forgotten something. And most of the time, the something that they have happened to forget tends to be very important and something which is going to be needed. Frustrating and annoying, right?
The most likely thing that tends to be forgotten…
It seems that the most common thing individuals tend to forget is the charge for their electrical goods – usually, it tends to be for one of the following three: their phone, camera or tablet. So, when this happens, what is one supposed to do? After all, if it is a business trip especially than these gadgets are something which is likely to be needed.
The solution…
If the individual in question has happened to bring a USB cable along with them for use alongside any other electrical good, e.g. a laptop, then they might just be in luck.
The answer to this solution can usually be found through the television provided in the hotel room. Go over to the TV in question and have a look for a USB port, most televisions will have this basic feature. Once the individual in question has found the USB port all they simply need to do is plug the cable into the television and the gadget.
If you have a hearing device, this may be an alternative way to charge it as well. You may want to speak to your audiologist, though, to make sure you do not cause damage.
What happens if there is no USB port or nobody has brought a USB cable?
Obviously, the solution above is helpful to most people however it will not apply to everybody. For instance, if the individual going away did not bring a USB cable then the solution will not be applicable. Furthermore, if the television in the hotel room does not have a USB port (which will be on rare occasion) then the solution above will once again not work. So, what happens if this is the case?
The simple answer to the issue raised at the beginning of the article would be – don’t forget your charger! But this is a lot easier said than done. So, don’t forget the solutions provided here for the next time a trip away is on the cards!
COVID-19 has brought about many changes and a new way of living. You may find yourself with more time on your hands and having to spend more of your days around the house.
It may have been a nice break away from the hustle and bustle initially but now you might be getting bored and are at risk for developing negative habits or tendencies. Be glad to know there are actions you can take to help you stay healthy and well during lockdown so you can thrive even during uncertain times. Let these ideas guide you to finding calm and peace in your days and staying positive that soon there will be brighter days ahead that feel more normal.
Get Outside
You can stay healthy and well during lockdown by getting a daily dose of fresh air. Spend time in nature and soak up the beauty and wonderful smells that surround you. You can use it as a chance to catch up on some gardening, go for a hike with your dog, or take a bike ride on a new trail you’ve wanted to check out. Being outdoors will help you reset and clear your mind so you can stay well and healthy. If you’re alone in the peace and quiet then you may also want to use it as a time to reflect and think about what you are grateful for in your life.
Continue to Build Relationships
It’s also vital that you stay connected and continue to build relationships even during the lockdown. Technology makes it easy to stay in touch and catch up even if you can’t be face-to-face. If you’re single and want to keep your love life alive during these difficult times then consider virtual date ideas to keep the spark alive and well. It’s all about staying positive and getting creative so you can continue to deepen your connection and learn more about one another.
Cook for Yourself
It’s tempting and easy to eat out when you’re stuck at home all day but you might want to think twice. Eating out can be expensive and cause you to consume larger and unhealthier portion sizes than usual. Instead, stay healthy and well during lockdown by committing to cooking for yourself more frequently. Order your groceries online and use fresh ingredients to whip up healthy meals that make you feel good and provide you with energy.
Stick to A Routine
You may have the urge to want to sleep in and stay in your sweatpants when you’re stuck at home. However, this may negatively impact your mental health and well-being over time. Instead, stick to and find a routine that works for you and will keep you engaged in life and taking good care of yourself. Wake up and jump in the shower and get dressed each day to help you achieve this goal. If you’re working from home, remember to take short breaks throughout the day and set aside a little time to have some lunch. Head to bed at a decent hour and be mindful of how much time you’re spending on your electronics and technology.
Maybe you can't leave your job to travel.
Maybe you are caring for a loved one who is sick.
Maybe you are a mama with young ones or older ones that need you right where you are.
Maybe you are saving for a new car or home.
Maybe there are unexpected bills you need to pay.
Maybe... maybe there are a 100 reasons you want to go on far off travel adventures but right now in this season you can't do that all of the time. That is okay friend. It really is. As I was sick and bedridden for several years I learned that adventure can happen right in front of you (even from a bedroom window). And it doesn't mean you have to miss out on adventure and lose your spirit of wanderlust.
I hope that this post will inspire you to explore right where you are and see the beautiful adventure of the life you have.
Here are 3 tips for exploring your own city during COVID regulations...
To be honest, I felt that I knew the history of upstate Vermont and New York and the surrounding area and the large part that it played in the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, George Washington's ties, and mainly the War of 1812. Learning about the impact that a town had on the Underground Railroad was an eye-opening experience as I realized that there was still so much to learn about this place that I lived.
Maybe, like me, you think that you know the history of your city, but take the time to explore and research and learn on a different level - even without ever leaving your car. It will definitely provide you with adventures of wanting to explore new areas and things.
I am confident that your city or town has lots of similar things for all different interest. There are many cities that have wine tasting clubs, bookstore clubs, etc. Think about what you love to do and set out to accomplish this goal in your city (or if you need to expand out like I did a bit do so!).
Isn't it funny that when we are traveling we often search for a place to see the city from a high vantage point but never do this in our own cities? Almost every city has a tall building and is open to visitors where you can see the city skyline. Take a road trip to do this.
Check out these posts for additional adventure and travel inspiration for exploring your own city:
10 Tips for Exploring Your City
10 Helpful Tips for Solo Female Travelers
5 Important Tips for Traveling with a Chronic Illness
